A New Life
by catgurl83
Summary: Matt and his younger siblings must learn to move on. Sequel to 'Not Me'.


Title: A New Life (1/1)

Author: Catgurl83

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Rating: G

Author's Notes: This story follows my story 'Not Me'. It has not been betaed so any mistakes are my own.

Let me know what you think. If people like this one as much as they liked 'Not Me', this might turn into a series.

'''''''''''''''''''''''

Matt gingerly stepped over a box and maneuvered his way around a huge pile of clothes. He winced as he studied the room. Several half filled boxes sat around the room, their were clothes all over the place, the bed was piled with stuffed animals, and a stack of books sat on the desk looking like they were about to topple over.

His twelve-year-old sister, Ruthie, sat next to her dresser pulling things from the bottom drawer. She glanced up when she saw him.

"Maybe you should fill one box before starting another?"

"But I'm packing things according to what they are. Grandma Ruth said we have to be organized about this."

Matt sighed. "Just remember that you have to be able to use this room for a few more days." He gestured to the stuffed animals on the bed. "Make sure your bed isn't so full that you can't sleep on it."

"I will."

He stepped out into the hall and made his way to Simon's room. His brother lay sprawled on his back across the bed with headphones on his ears. One box stood on his dresser, half full of CDs.

They'd been packing for a couple of days now and that one box was all that Simon had gotten done in is room. The fourteen-year-old hadn't been much help with the rest of the house either.

He was worried about Simon. It had been two weeks since their parents deaths. A little over a week since he'd been awarded custody of his siblings. During that time Simon had withdrawn more and more.

He had expected the three older kids to be happy that he had agreed to raise them so that they wouldn't be separated from their younger siblings and have to move to Buffalo. He knew that Lucy and Mary had been relieved at the news but Simon had shown no reaction.

When he'd announced that he had found a rental house, Ruthie had cried. Mary had quietly gone up to her room and Lucy had gone to call a friend. Again, Simon had no reaction.

At dinner that same night, he gently told all of the kids that the house they were moving to was much smaller than this one and they were going to need to consolidate their possessions.

The twins, of course, hadn't known what he was talking about. Ruthie had stared at him for several seconds and then started listing the things she couldn't live without. Lucy had started to throw a fit, but the Colonel who had still been visiting had quelled her with a look. Mary had finished her meal quickly and asked to be excused. Simon had pushed his food around his plate without eat but hadn't said a word.

Their grandparents had left two days later and among the tears and hugs, Simon had stood back as if he didn't quite belong.

"Simon?" Matt said, still standing in the doorway. When his brother didn't respond, he raised his voice a little. "Simon. Simon!"

Simon lifted one side of the headphones from his ear and half turned so he could face Matt. "What?"

"I really need you to start working on your room. We start moving in to the other house in less than a week."

Simon shrugged. "It doesn't take long to pack. I'll just throw it all in a box."

Matt took a deep breath, trying hard to be patient. "You know that you have to go through all of this stuff and decide what to keep and what to get rid of. You won't have your own room anymore."

At that Simon sat up, glaring at Matt. "The girls have to share and I have to share with the twins. How is that fair?"

"You know that all I could find in our budget was a three bedroom house."

"But you get your own room!"

"Simon, I'm still pre-med. I need somewhere quiet to study and I'm going to have to take care of the bills and everything…."

He cut Matt off. "Whatever. I don't care." He put the headphones back on and laid down.

If this was what the next few years were going to be like, he should have let his grandparents take Simon to New York. It would have made things easier for him.

He was nineteen. How was he qualified to deal with a rebellious, argumentative teenager? He could feed the kids, make sure they had clothes, and went to school. But he wasn't at all sure that he could provide a moral compass for them. With the older kids, the lessons their parents had taught them were at least there to build on. With Sam and David he didn't even have that.

"We finished going through the twins clothes," Lucy said from behind him, and Matt turned around. "The stuff that still fits them is back in their drawers but the smaller stuff is in boxes."

He shot her a smile. "Thanks Luce. I'll take the boxes to the foyer for Goodwill to pick up."

"If that's all for now…"

"Yeah?" he said when she trailed off.

"Some of my friends want to meet for pizza and maybe a movie. I told them I had to ask you."

This was the first time she had shown any interest in hanging out with her friends since the accident. Matt chose to take that as a sign that Lucy at least was going to be fine eventually. "Sure but be home by ten or call."

"Thanks." She actually smiled as she headed for the stairs to her attic bedroom.

Matt stepped into the twins room. Mary sat on the floor with the boys, surrounded by blocks. It appeared that they were making a castle.

"Lucy's meeting friends," Matt said.

"I know," Mary said without looking up.

"If you want to do the same, I can handle the younger kids."

"I don't mind helping with the boys."

He sighed and sat down near her. "I know you don't and I'm grateful for all of the help from you and from Lucy."

She looked up at him. "I'm grateful that you're letting us all stay together. I know what it means for you. You won't be able to go to school in New York and you'll have to scale down to part time classes and get a job. It would have been easier for you to send Simon, Lucy, and me to live with Grandma Ruth and the Colonel and the younger kids to Aunt Julie."

"Yes, it would have been," he admitted after nearly a full minute passed. "But it wasn't what Mom and Dad would have wanted. And when I really thought about it, it wasn't what I really wanted either."

"It still isn't fair."

"No it isn't. But to you guys as much as to me." He looked at the boys, working diligently on their castle. "The boys won't remember their parents. Simon and Ruthie won't have Mom and Dad's guidance through the hardest years of their lives. You and Lucy don't have Mom for advice on guys and girl talk." He swallowed hard against the lump building in his throat.

"We all lost so much." She brushed away the tears building in her eyes. "I'm just glad that we don't have to lose each other too."

"So am I."

''''''''''''''''''''''

She could hear the noise outside. The truck with it's engine running, the kids running around playing, the adults calling out to each other as they finished loading the truck and cars. She could hear Happy's excited barks.

This was it. As soon as everything was in the vehicles they were really leaving. They were just going across town. They'd all still go to the same schools and would be able to have the same friends yet it all seemed so big somehow.

Mary walked up the stairs, trailing her hand along the banister. They were leaving the only home they'd ever known. All seven of them had learned to walk here, had said Mama and Dada for the first time here. They'd had breakfast in the kitchen and dinner in the dining room. They had watched TV with friends in the living room. They'd had slumber parties, Christmas, birthdays, in this house. Those things would never happen again.

She and her siblings would never again hide in the stairwell so they could listen in on a conversation between their parents. They'd never raise to see who could get to the door first or make a huge mess bathing Happy in the bathtub.

She moved through each room, performing her assigned task of checking to make sure nothing had been left behind, letting the memories come over her as she did so. The laughter, the conversations, the hugs and kisses that had happened in this house.

In the boys' room she found a little toy car in the closet and picked it up. The other rooms were empty. For a little while at least. The new pastor and his family would be moving in here in just a few days, filling this house with their own memories. It seemed wrong in some indefinable way.

She wasn't sure she'd be able to listen to the new guy preach. Even stepping into that church was difficult, but seeing someone else up in her father's spot, that might be impossible. They had had guest speakers since the accident. She hadn't gone to church to hear them.

She walked down the kitchen stairs and checked each of the cupboards. They were empty.

Outside, the last of the boxes were being set in a car. They had almost more help than they knew what to do with. Sergeant Michaels was here as were most of the members of the church board. Reverend Hamilton and his family were here. Aunt Julie and Uncle Hank had come.

"Is the house locked up?" Matt asked as he joined her on the porch.

"Yes. This is all I found." She opened her hand to reveal the car.

"Good. The kids did a better job of packing then a thought." He looked back to the cars. "Everything's ready. Uncle Hank is going to drive my car so that I can take mom's mini van. The twins with come with me. Lucy and Simon are going with friends. "Can you take Dad's car? Ruthie wants to go with you."

She forced a smile as she looked back at the house one last time before walking toward the car and their new life. "Sure. Come on Ruthie," she called.

''''''''''''''''''''''


End file.
